Hexagonal cartons



March 1965 c. w. ROSENBURG, JR 3,174,675

HEXAGONAL CARTONS Filed Feb. 3, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 1965 c. w. ROSENBURG, JR 3,174,675

HEXAGONAL CARTONS Filed Feb. 3, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,174,675 HEXAGONAL CARTUNS Charles W. Rosenburg, In, Buffalo, N.Y., assiguor to F. N. Burt Company, Inc., Euifaio, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Fiied Feb. 3, 1564, Ser. No. 342,126 8 Claims. (ill. 2241) This invention relates to foldable boxes or cartons which when erected have the configuration of a hexagonal prism, and more particularly to the collapsible end structures of such cartons.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved collapsible container or carton of hexagonal section which is of sturdy construction, and has a bottom structure capable of sustaining relatively heavy lading Without excessive outward bulging.

One of the principal features of novelty of the container involves the configuration of the six flaps which are hingedly connected to the respective bottom edges of the six side panels. While certain of these flaps are glued to adjacent or opposite flaps, it is noteworthy that two of the flaps which flank a principal diametric cross-over flap, are provided with cars which eifect an interlock be tween these flaps, when the box or carton is erected. This feature, together with the joining of the diametric or cross-over bottom flaps, cooperate to produce a sturdy bottom structure for the support of articles of mechandise of considerable Weight.

It is to be noted also that these objects are attained by the use of a one-piece unitary blank of novel configuration and construction.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a box or container embodying the principles of the invention, the box being in erected condition and with the top closure flaps approaching closed positions;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a one-piece blank from which the novel container is formed;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the inside bottom portion of the box with the upper wall portions broken away;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view generally similar to FIGURE 3 and taken approximately on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, but with the carton in semi-collapsed condition, with the bottom fiaps buckled inwardly and rising to assume a fiat condition as for packing, transportation or storage; and

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the carton in approximately fully collapsed condition.

A logical approach to the disclosure of the novel con tainer would be to describe the one-piece blank from which it is made, as it is shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. The six principal side panels of the box or container, which are preferably of the same rectangular configuration and dimension are designated A, B, C, D, E, and F. An extension panel G projects from the outward edge of panel A for securement to the inner face of the outer portion of panel F when the box is being set up. It will be readily perceived that these panels are hingedly connected together along the score lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

When the securing flap or panel G is laid over the edge 3,174,675? Patented Mar. 23, 1965 of the panel F as suggested in outline at G; the blank has assumed a continuous tubular configuration and may be held in its ultimate hexagonal shape with the side wall panels disposed in opposed relationship as follows: A-D; B-E; C-F.

Since the principal novelty of the invention lies in the bottom construction, the top end closure structure will be described only briefly. It is suflicient to point out that a top flap A is hinged to the upper edge of the side panel A as at a the side panels C and E have top flaps C and E hinged respectively thereto along the score lines and e Finally, the side wall panel D has a substantially hexagonal flap or closure D hinged thereto along the score line d and upward and outer portions of the closure flap D are provided with the insert tabs D foldable along score lines d; and provided with slits 21 near their upper portions.

The upper closure devices are folded in usual fashion by turning in the flaps C and E to a substantially horizontal position bending the elongated flap A at right angles to its wall panel A and then bending the closure panel D downwardly to horizontal position, at the same time inserting the tabs D behind the forward portions of the wall panels B and F and straddling the root por tion of the flap A the slits 21 cooperating with the bevelled roots 29 of the flap A, to assist in interlocking the cover or closure panel when it is finally brought to horizontal position' The parts are approaching closed position in the view depicted in FIGURE 1 of the drawings.

The novel bottom structure will now be described in reference to the blank shown in FIGURE 2.

A short bottom flap A is hinged along the line a to the bottom edge of the wall panel A. Along the score line 12 at the bottom of the panel B is connected a bottom flap B of the shape of a trapezium having side edges 16 and 19 and a remote edge 17 of such angularity as will preferably align it approximately with the center lines of wall panels A and D in erected condition as shown in FIGURE 4.

At the bottom edge d of the wall panel D there is hinged a double cross-over flap D D which cooperates with the flap A the parts D and D being joined by a crease or score line d At the bottom of the panel F there is hinged at f an irregularly shaped bottom panel or flap F It will be noted that the lower portion of the wall securing flap G is cut away in a peculiar angular configuration as at g; and similarly the right-hand margin of the bottom flap F is angularly cut away as at i. As will be more fully described later, this arrangement is to provide an interfitting of the edges of the flaps or tabs G and F when the latter is folded up against the wall panel F (as suggested by the arrow in FIGURE 2), the contour f of the flap F following the contour g of the flap G when it is secured against the panel F. An angularly disposed side edge 22 is designed to extend along a transverse axis of the bottom of the carton as in FIGURE 4.

Now there remains to be described a pair of unusually shaped flaps which not only involve the adhesive securement of portions thereof in assembling the carton but also provide an interlock feature which tends to prevent bottom bulging under load.

At the lower edge of the wall panel C there is hinged as at 0 the double flap C C;,. These two flap portions are connected by the fold or score line 0 The inner portion C is trapezium shaped. The outer portion C has a body area 8 which is approximately coextensive with the area of the flap B and adapted to carry a coating of adhesive. The portion C also has a projecting ear it) which protrudes beyond the edge 25 of the base flap portion C and provides a notched-out contour indicated at 11. The portion C also has a side edge 27, and the portion C has an elongated remote edge 20. The edge 25 occupies an axial position in FIGURE 4.

The wall panel B is provided at the hinge line e with a double flap E E these flap portions being hinged along the. score. line e It is: the inner or base flap portion E which isprovidedzwith an ear in this instance, and this ear is indicated at 12. The portion E has a side margin 26. The outer flap port-ion E is of a configuration which embraces an area suggested at. 9 which is. coextensive with the area of the adjacent flapF Also the outer edge 23 of the flapportion E makes with theear 12 of the portion E an angular indentation indicated at. 13 and occupies a substantially axial, position in approximate alignment with the. edges 17: and 25 in the erected carton. An outer edge; of the portion E is indicated} at; 24. e

7 There will now be described the inter-folding and se-, curement. of the bottom flaps which have been broadly indicated. above. In the following description, it should be borne in mind that the surface of} the one-piece blank ShOWrrinFIGUREZ comprises the inside surfaces of the various parts of the carton.

In the process of bringing the blank to a hexagonal configuration, itis preferred that the outer surface of the securing flap or tab G be coated with adhesive or. the inner portion 6.; of the-flap coated or both of these areas, and: then brought together into firm securement.

Of course it does not matter which of two areas to be adhesively secured carry theglue applications or whether both ofthem are coated prior, to bringing them in contact. Therefore, when itis stated that a certain face of a flap is coated; it; shall be taken to mean that this face is to be brought into contact with another face for adhesive se curement, regardless of which surface the adhesive is applied to. Thus. the adhesive; bearing surface offlap A is on, the reverse side of that shown in; FIGURE the V adhesive coated face ofthe flap B is also the outside or reverse ide; the area 8, of'the flap C is coated on the inside; the projecting flap portion D is'coated on the inside; the area-.91: of; the fiapzE is coated on theinside; and

the surface of the fiap F whichbears the adhesive is, the ou ide. one

Now in bringing the'flaps together fo adhesive securement, the, flap B is brought over the top of the flap portion C- until the, edge 16;. coincides with the; fold The edge 17- extends along the edge 18 of the glue area of flap C and the edge 19 coincides withthe edge Ztlv of; the flap C (Seev FIGUREA.)

Similarly, the flap F is folded behind the correspond in-g alfea; 9: of the flap E and adheres thereto, the irregular; contour of the'fiap F being clearly reproduced by the margins,- of the area 9. Finally, the outside of flap A is brought; into adhesive contact with the area- 2 2 of the cross-over flap. D and the adhesive securement of the various parts of the bottom structure is. complete.

Now, reference to'the remaining figures of drawing will clearly show the inter-action of the bottom. flap structures, the parts moving from the erected positions shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and; 5, through the intermediate position, illustrated in FIGURE 6, to the substantially final collapsed condition suggested in of FIGURE 7.

As clearly indicated in FIGURE 6 the united bottom flap structures comprise the cross-over flap arrangement A D D the adhesively secured flaps B C and C and the adhesively secured flaps; F E and B are all adapted; to be collapsed inwardly or upwardly when the a container is folded; to fiat condition. The flap structures B C C and F ,'E E each having the form of a tent-like structure in intermediate position.

Now inmoving from collapsed condition back through the intermediate position of FIGURE 6 toward the positions of FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the utility and effectiveness of the ears and 12 and the notches 11 and 13 the diagrammatic View 7 come into play. This is most clearly shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings where the apices 11 and 13 of the contours of the double flap C C and E E substantially coincide. However, the car 12 of the second combination overlaps the flap C of the first double flap assembly arrangement. The ear it) of the first-named assembly overlaps the structure E F of the second-named structure. Thus it becomes impossible for the two combined flap structures to buckle downwardly of the container, but they must hold the position shown in FIGURE 3, unless the material of whichthe box is composed should rupture. In addition to this interlocking ear structure, the downward bulging of the bottom construction is further deterred by the cross-over bandcomprised by the flaps A D3, D2.

As previously mentioned, during the collapsing of the carton the combined bottom structure E E E moves 7 upwardly toward the planes of the wall panel F and the securing fiap G adhering thereto, and the notched edge 1 of the flap portion F interfits with the angled lower portion g or" the securing tab or flap G.

At the same time the tab edges 1-7, 23 and 25 extend approximately along one axis of the bottom structure, and the edges 22 and 16 with the scored hinge lines a and e coinciding substantially with the transverse axis.

It is understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated and describedherein when departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims. 7

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible carton of hexagoanl prismatic form, comprising a series of six rectangular wall panels hingedly connected; along vertical score lines with the terminal edges of said series secured together to form an essentially tubular wall structure when erected; a collapsible end structure for the carton composed of six cooperating flaps, one flap hingedly connected with an. end edge: of each of said wall panels; the two flaps extending from one pair ofoppositely disposed wallpanels secured together to form a continuous and permanent strap bridging the end of the carton and resisting separation. of said pair oi wall-E panels beyond their positionsv for hexagonal Configuration of the carton; the flaps ofeach-pair of flaps which extend from and are hingedto adjacent wallpanels upon either side of: said first-named oppositely disposed wall panels, being hingedly secured together to provide collapsible tent-like structures at opposite angular. sides of the carton, the two said; pairs of adjacent connected flaps and the pair of oppositely connected flaps, when flattened to lie at right angles to the: several walli panel's constituting the end wall structure of the erected carton; and tongues extending inwardly fromtthe tent-like structures in opposite directions toward the opposite tent-like structure and engaging with the opposite tent-like structures to provide an interlocking connection between the tent-like structures and to prevent the variousflaps forming said carton end structure from buckling outwardly beyond the transverse plane of the end structureof; the carton.

2. The collapsible car-ton as set forth in claim 1; in which one of the flaps of each pair constituting the tentlike structures is a double flap comprising abasic proximal flap portion hinged directly to its wall panel, and a distal flap portion hinged to the proximal flap portion, which distal portion is adhesively secured to the other flap of its pair; the interlocking tongue of one of said pair of flaps being formed on the basic proximal flap portion of the. double flap of that pair, and the tongue of the other of said pairs being formed on. the distal flap portion of the doubl flap of said other pair.

3. The. collapsible carton asset forth in claim 1 in which the flaps of the, pair forming the cross-over strap are rectangular and the remaining flaps and flap portions are all substantially trapezium shaped.

4. The collapsible carton as set forth in claim 1 in which an edge of each of said to ues forms an acute angle With an adjacent edge of the adjoining hinged flap portion, the opposite tent-like flap structures interlocking at the apices of said act .e angles.

5. The collapsible carton as set forth in claim 4 in which said adjacent edges of the adjoining hinged flap portion lie in substantial transverse axial alignment across the end structure of the carton when in erected condition.

6. The collapsible carton as set forth in claim I in which the said end edges of the series of wall panels are secured together by means of a tab hinged to a terminal wall panel of the series and adhesively secured to the opposite wall panel of the series, said tab being angularly cut away near the end structure; and the end extending from said opposite wail panel being cut away complementary with respect to the cut-away portion of said tab, whereby the said tab and last-named flap may be disposed in coplanar nositions when the carton is collapsed to fiat condition.

7. A one-piece blank for the production of a hexagonal prismatic carton, said blank comprising a series of six side wall paenls connected along score lines; a plurality of end-structure-forming flaps extending from the several side wall panels and connected thereto along score lines,

the flaps extending from the first and fourth Wall panels in said series comprising cross-over flaps for interconnection diametrically or" the end structure in the erected carten; the flaps extending from the second and sixth wall panels being of approximately trapezium configuration and adapted to be connected to the respective adjacent flaps of the third and fifth panels; the third and fifth flaps being double flaps each having a proximal flap portion and a distal flap portion connected along a diagonal score line; one of the flap portions of each of said double flaps havin g an outwardly projecting tongue, the two tongues adapted to interlock with the flaps of the opposite flap structure in the erected carton.

8. The carton blank as set forth in claim 7 in which one of said tongues is formed on the proximal ilap portion of one of the double flaps and the other of said tongues is formed on the distal flap portion of the other of the double flaps.

-t'teierentces tilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE CARTON OF HEXAGONAL PRISMATIC FORM, COMPRISING A SERIES OF SIX RECTANGULAR WALL PANELS HINGEDLY CONNECTED ALONG VERTICAL SCORE LINES WITH THE TERMINAL EDGES OF SAID SERIES SECURED TOGETHER TO FORM AN ESSENTIALLY TUBULAR WALL STRUCTURE WHEN ERECTED; A COLLAPSIBLE END STRUCTUR FOR THE CARTON COMPOSED OF SIX COOPERATING FLAPS, ONE FLAP HINGEDLY CONNECTED WITH AN END EDGE OF EACH OF SAID WALL PANELS; THE TWO FLAPS EXTENDING FROM ONE PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED WALL PANELS SECURED TOGETHER TO FORM A CONTINUOUS AND PERMANENT STRAP BRIDGING THE END OF THE CARTON AND RESISTING SEPARATION OF SAID PAIR OF WALL PANELS BEYOND THEIR POSITIONS FOR HEXAGONAL CONFIGURATION OF THE CARTON; THE FLAPS OF EACH PAIR OF FLAPS WHICH EXTEND FROM AND ARE HINGED TO ADJACENT WALL PANELS UPON EITHER SIDE OF SAID FIRST-NAMED OPPOSITELY DISPOSED WALL PANELS, BEING HINGEDLY SECURED TOGETHER TO PROVIDE COLLAPSIBLE TENT-LIKE STRUCTURES AT OPPOSITE ANGULAR SIDES OF THE CARTON, THE TWO SAID PAIRS OF ADJACENT CONNECTED FLAPS AND THE PAIR OF OPPOSITELY CONNECTED FLAPS, WHEN FLATTENED TO LIE AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SEVERAL WALL PANELS CONSTITUTING THE END WALL STRUCTURE OF THE ERECTED CARTON; AND TONGUES EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE TENT-LIKE STRUCTURES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TOWARD THE OPPOSITE TENT-LIKE STRUCTURE AND ENGAGING WITH THE OPPOSITE TENT-LIKE STRUCTURES TO PROVIDE AN INTERLOCKING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TENT-LIKE STRUCTURES AND TO PREVENT THE VARIOUS FLAPS FORMING SAID CARTON END STRUCTURE FROM BUCKLING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE TRANSVERSE PLANE OF THE END STRUCTURE OF THE CARTON. 